C T Online Desk: Sept 25, 2023- At least 98 percent construction works of Chattogram Muslim Institute Cultural Complex project at a cost of TK 281 crores has been completed.
Although the construction works is almost at the final stage, the opening date has not been decided yet by the Public Works Department (PWD).
PWD officials today said that opportunities of at least 45 new jobs will be created once the cultural complex is operational.
The information needs of teachers, students and researchers will be met up by the complex.
Apart from increasing the standard of education, the sagging of cultural activities of Chattogram city will be revived.
Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in November 2017 approved the project.
Earlier, the design works were started with the aim of renovating the Muslim Hall in coordination with the representatives of the Department of Public Works and the Department of Architecture in March 2015. The design was finalized in August 2016. The duration of the project was from January 2018 to December 2021. However, the duration of the project was extended twice due to the corona epidemic and financial crisis. If all goes well, the project will expire in June 2024.
Under the project, one Chattogram Divisional Government Public Library with 15 floors of 15212 square feet area, one multipurpose hall of 14493 square feet area and seminar hall as well as public gathering space of 7413 square feet area are being constructed. The renovation work of the central Shaheed Minar has already been completed. Tunnels have been built on both the sides of the main road.
There is a service section on the ground floor of the public library building, where book sorting and fumigation will be done. There will be offices on the ground and first floor, seminar and meeting rooms on the 2nd floor and the third floor will be reserved for the disabled. General Library on 4th and 5th Floor, Children’s Library on 6th Floor, Paper Library on 7th Floor, Reference Library on 8th Floor, Science Library on 9th and 10th Floor, Training Unit on 11th Floor, ICT Unit on 12th Floor, Space for Future Provision on 13th Floor, Guest House on the 14th Floor under construction
A total of 250 people in the general library, 150 people in the science library, 100 people in the reference library, 100 people in the newspaper/periodical library, 50 people in the disabled library, 150 people in the open library,100 people in the children-adolescent library can read books together in the library section.
Besides, meeting room and seminar room with 40 to 50 seats, a big seminar room with 150 seats will be constructed. The ICT library will have 30 computers. There will be one rest house, two VIP rooms and common dormitory rooms.
Project Director Public Works Directorate Chattogram-1 Executive Engineer Rahul Guha told the journalists that library activities have been started. Physical infrastructure work is completed and the remaining works can be completed within the stipulated time. The work of decorating and equipping the auditoriums is pending. As the equipment of the auditoriums will be brought from abroad, it will take some time.
